He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. The silence swallowed us whole, and the weight of betrayal sat heavy on my chest.
Tasha’s eyes narrowed, a spark of heat in the cool air. “What the hell is going on?”
Lennox’s amber eyes finally found mine. “Naima, I was going to tell you?—”
“When?” My voice cracked, splintering the fragile hope I’d held onto. “After you’d sold us out? After you’d taken everything we built and handed it to him?”
Selena’s expression hardened, the mask slipping to reveal the steel beneath. “Let’s continue this inside. Mr. Gold, if you would join me in my office, we can discuss this privately.”
Alan raised an eyebrow but followed Selena without protest. His presence sucked the warmth from the room, a shadow creeping into every corner. Tasha hesitated, her eyes bouncing between me and Lennox, the questions spilling over her lips before she could stop them.
“What kind of bullshit is this?” she demanded, her voice a low hiss. “You come in here, cozy up to Naima, and now this? You better start talking, Lennox, or so help me?—”
“Tasha.” Selena’s voice cut through, firm but not unkind. “Let’s go.”
The door closed behind them, leaving Lennox and me alone in the silence that followed. But it wasn’t just silence—it was the echo of every lie, every unspoken truth, every promise turned to ash. And I had no idea what to do with it.
18
NAIMA
Iturned, walking quickly toward my suite. My vision blurred with tears I refused to shed. I heard Lennox behind me, his footsteps heavy and desperate.
"Naima, wait—please."
I pushed open the door to my suite and spun to face him as he slipped inside, closing us off from the world. "You lied to me. To all of us."
He stood near the door, his broad shoulders hunched, and the confident man I thought I knew appeared as a child—broken and dare I say weak. If not for my anger, I might have felt badly for him, but I was more than angry—I was seething.
"It started as a job, yes, but it became more than that. You have to believe me."
"Believe you?" I let out a bitter laugh. "I let you in, Lennox. Into my bed, into my life. I showed you parts of myself I don’t show anyone, and the whole time you were… what? Spying? Taking notes for your father?"
"It wasn’t like that," he said, his voice rough, cracking under the weight of his truth. "At first, yeah, I was just here to assess. My father wanted to know if this place was worth investing in.But then I met you. I saw what you’ve built here, what this place means to people. To you. I couldn’t... I didn’t want to hurt you."
"But you did. You let me believe you were one of us. That you cared. And maybe you did, but it doesn’t change the fact that you were lying."
His hands trembled, his fingers flexing and releasing as if trying to hold on to something slipping away. "I was falling in love with you. I am in love with you. I’ve never felt this way about anyone."
"Love?" I spat the word like it burned my tongue. "Love isn’t built on lies, Lennox. It’s built on trust, and you destroyed that. You sat with me by the fire, told me your hopes, your dreams, while hiding the truth of who you really were. How do I know anything you said was real?"
He took a step forward, his movements tentative, like approaching a wounded animal. "Everything I said was real. I told you things I’ve never told anyone. About my mom, about my brothers. You showed me what it means to be vulnerable. To be seen. And I... I messed up. I know that. But I was scared. I thought if I told you the truth, I’d lose you. And now I see that lying did that anyway."
The tears I fought against slipped free, hot trails down my cheeks. I hated how much I wanted to believe him. How much I still craved his touch, even when my trust in him had shattered. "You didn’t just lie to me. You lied to everyone here. Selena. Tasha. All the people who’ve come to this retreat seeking peace. Do you even understand the damage you’ve done?"
His face crumpled, and for a moment, I saw the boy behind the man—the boy still chasing his father’s approval, still trying to find his own path. "I know. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make it right. I’ll talk to my father. I’ll make sure he doesn’t touch this place. Just... please, Naima, don’t shut me out."
I shook my head, the weight of his words too much to bear. "I need space. I need time to think. Because right now, all I see when I look at you is betrayal."
"Naima—"
"Get out!" My voice broke, and the sobs finally escaped, raw and unrestrained. "I can’t look at you right now. I can’t... I can’t breathe."
He lingered, the air between us thick with everything left unsaid. Then, slowly, he opened the door, his movements heavy, deliberate, as if he knew this might be the last time he walked through it. When the door closed behind him, I crumbled to the floor, my sobs wracking my body, my hands clutching at the carpet as if it could anchor me.
What came next happened in a blur.
I only knew I couldn’t stay here. Not with the weight of his deception hanging over me. I grabbed my bag, stuffing it with whatever I could reach, my tears blurring my vision. I ignored Lennox and his asshole of a father and grabbed Selena and Tasha to let them know I was leaving for a break. I knew I was putting them in a spot, but I would be no good to anyone, particularly those who sought solace here. Fortunately, there was a gap in scheduling, and once the guests left tomorrow, Selena and Tasha would have a moment to regroup while I got my mind right.
